Teenagers will get the chance to try out Olympic and Paralympic sports through a £6 million network of after-school clubs, Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw announced today.

From this autumn term sports such as badminton, boccia, fencing, handball, table tennis, volleyball and wheelchair basketball will be on offer at the first of 3,000 clubs being set up in secondary schools and colleges across England.

All of the clubs, funded by Government and Lottery money, should be up and running by spring 2011 as part of the participation drive ahead of the London 2012 Games.

New equipment and qualified coaches to run the clubs alongside young volunteers are also to be paid for from the £6 million pot.

Mr Bradshaw said: “These new clubs will be a fantastic opportunity for teenagers to get active and experience a number of our Olympic and Paralympic sports.

“We hope this will be just the start and that schools across England build on this investment and deliver a network of clubs covering every Olympic sport, long after London’s closing ceremony.

“The 2012 games are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform sport in this country – both in terms of medals and in getting more people playing sport.”

Five-time Olympic rowing champion Sir Steve Redgrave hopes it might trigger a passion for sport in thousands of youngsters… Continue reading